A Different Kind of Magic
by Belle's Noir
Summary: Sequel to 'Lies and Limitations'. Halliwell Potter has well remembered every lesson her Aunt ever gave her about the magical world and now she's starting Hogwarts. She just can't understand the way these people think magic works but she won't let their nonsense rules hold her back. Fem!Harry.
1. Chapter 1

_Okay people, before anyone asks, the time period of this story is not going to be specified simply for the reason of technology. If a date needs to be mentioned then I'll stick with what good old JK said so I suppose you could say that technology got a bit of a boost. Technology sort of plays a role in this so I'm sticking with what I know. Halliwell will have a mobile phone, she knows how to use a computer and she has the internet at home._

'~,'~,'~,'~,'~,'~,

Halliwell Potter was a very unusual little girl with a very unusual gift. She was a witch. A fact she had known for as long as she could remember. Despite the fact that she was only ten years old and had yet to go to Hogwarts, she could use her magic and use it well.

She also used it often.

She didn't quite understand why she had to go to a school to learn magic when she could already use it but her Aunt Petunia had explained that the other people who used magic didn't make very much sense. Aunt Petunia had explained all about her sister and how she had changed the way she used magic once she started school.

Halliwell didn't think that made a lot of sense either, she expected she'd be confused quite often when she started school.

The acceptance letter hadn't been particularly well thought out. It had said, they awaited her owl. Aunt Petunia had explained that _those_ people used owls to deliver their mail. Halli supposed this would have made sense a few years ago, no doubt it would be faster than the normal post but what about email?

Besides, Halli recognised the name of the headmaster, it was the same person who wrote the letter she'd been found with on the doorstep, all those years ago. Considering he sent her here, to a normal family, he really should have known she wouldn't actually know where to buy an owl, let alone already own one.

So they had waited. Halli had hoped that if she hadn't responded by the 31st like the letter said then she wouldn't have to go. She didn't want to leave her family and she didn't want to join the world that had changed her mother so horrendously so.

But then the 31st arrived and Halliwell found herself staring at the largest man she had ever seen. She held nothing against the man because of his size but he certainly stuck out in the normal world. People just weren't that big. Halli knew that the magical world wanted to stay hidden so why did they send the single, most eye catching person in the world to collect her?

Halliwell felt her face heat up in mortification as she felt all the people staring at her. She had thought it couldn't get worse after the train, all those people pointing and staring in amusement and befuddlement as the giant of a man next to her began to _knit_. But now, on a busy London street, it felt like everyone in the city was watching as Halli and Hagrid entered the most run down pub she'd ever seen.

It looked like it had been standing since the Plague, and if the condition of the floor was anything to go by, it looked like it could have been what caused it as well.

'The usual, Hagrid?' Called the bald man from behind the bar, his hand already reaching for a glass.

'Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business.' Said Hagrid loudly, clapping a great hand on Halli's shoulder. She turned to glare at the giant. She didn't know what she was more annoyed at, the fact he'd nearly dislocated her shoulder with the force of his 'pat' or the fact that he'd just drawn the attention of everyone in the pub to her.

Her aunt had told her there was a chance she was famous. The letter that had been found with her had said she'd done something the magical world considered impossible. Halli didn't really understand why that one instance was such a big deal, she did things the magical world considered impossible every day.

'Good Lord,' said the barman, peering at Halli, 'is this – can this be?'

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

'Bless my soul,' the old barman whispered. 'Halliwell Potter... what an honour.'

Halli stared wide eyed as the man rushed out from behind the bar and seized her hand, tears in his eyes.

'Welcome back, Miss Potter, welcome back.'

She was completely intimidated as the entire pub seemed to rush towards her at once. Instinctively, she raised her hands as though to ward them off. Everyone froze. Halfway towards her and still mid step. It was as if she'd put the whole room on pause.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the moment she'd have to release them.

This was utterly ridiculous. How could people possibly be this pleased to see her? It was madness. To her knowledge, nothing particularly special had occurred the night her parents died. Aunt Petunia had explained it as best she could though she did admit that, as a normal person, she was probably missing some facts or maybe not quite understanding things from the magical world's point of view.

The young girl resolved to find a book shop or library and research as much as possible. While she didn't want to share the perspective of these people, it was probably best to understand it or she'd be flying blind. That was one reason she wanted to keep her extent of her abilities secret. These people wouldn't understand it and therefore, she couldn't anticipate their reaction. It seemed like such a backwards culture, would she be hailed as the Messiah or burnt as a witch?

She giggled slightly at her thoughts, what would be the equivalent of the Witch Trials in the magical world? Muggle Hunts? What would they call it if they tried to persecute _her?_

She looked around the pub again, literally everyone was out of their seats and on their way towards her. It was crazy.

At least one good thing had come out of it though, she now understood why she had such a large escort. He must have been sent because his size would help keep people from overwhelming her. That was the only thing that made sense so that must have been why he was sent, mustn't it? She glanced up at the face of the large giant and was outraged.

He was pleased!

He was happy with the attention she was getting, with the fuss people were making! Why should how people treat her have any relevance to him anyway?

Well, she wasn't going to make it easy for him, she decided stubbornly. She'd been intending to have people underestimate her and thus, hopefully overlook her. Then they would be less likely to notice any odd magical goings on around her.

And now seemed like as good a time as any to start.

With another deep breath, she braced herself and raised her arms. Another quick flick of her fingers and the crowd was moving again.

Halliwell gave the people one last frightened look and darted behind Hagrid as quickly as she could, with a startled squeak that wasn't entirely faked.

The crowd went silent in the face of this development. They clearly weren't expecting her to be afraid. Personally, Halli thought that made them stupid. Thirty people had just charged towards a little girl at full pelt - she'd only just turned eleven that day! – How did they expect her to react?

'G-g-give the g-girl some room.'

Halliwell peaked out from behind Hagrid to see who had spoken. She followed the eyes of the crowd to see a nervous looking man in a purple turban.

'That's right,' said Tom the barman, seemingly coming back to himself. 'She's not been here in nearly ten years; we don't want to overwhelm her.'

Halli shot them both a grateful smile as the people returned to their seats, muttering guiltily. Hagrid's face showed only disappointment, she glared at him again.

She didn't think she liked the large man.

Hagrid gave one last, dulled look around the room and led her through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard. Halli would have thought this was the pub's smoking area if there hadn't been a woman with a pipe inside. She shot one last friendly smile to Tom and the nervous man before the door closed behind her.

She watched as Hagrid began counting bricks in the wall above the dustbin.

'Three up ... two across ...'

She continued watching in confusion as the giant man tapped the brick three times with the point of his umbrella.

As the archway finally appeared to the wide eyed girl, Halli made a note of exactly which brick Hagrid had tapped, she was sure she'd be back here again.

'Welcome,' said Hagrid. 'To Diagon Alley.'

Halliwell stared around in amazement. It was like stepping back in time! The street was winding cobblestones and the architecture of the shops was like something out of the Middle Ages. The people were the same. All of them dressed in robes. Robes of all things!

She was baffled. Why did people want to live like this? Trapped in past? It looked remarkable and Halli was impressed but she knew that it was just the novelty of the Alley. It was like going to a themed party or a Renaissance Fair, fun but not forever.

Halli was the first to admit she'd love to step into the pages of Jane Austin and take a trip to the nineteenth century but she wouldn't want to stay there indefinitely. She liked her modern conveniences too much. She liked having light bulbs and a television and a car. Not to mention the telephone.

Didn't these people know what the normal world could offer them?

Aunt Petunia had been right. They'd placed rules and regulations on their magic and limited their power, then not only that, they'd relied on their magic to a point where it held them back.

There were, no doubt, some things that their magic could do that normal technology couldn't complete with – most likely with travel or medicine – but how long would that last when technology was making groundbreaking advancements every day?

Halli stopped those thoughts before they could run away with her. Whether she liked it or not, this was the world that her parents belonged to and therefore she belonged to it as well, at least to an extent. She resolved to hold onto the novelty of the situation as long as possible, she would try to enjoy the experience of this world she'd stepped into. After all, a ride in a horse and carriage could be fun and she already loved the fact she got to wear a pointed hat and ride a broom.

'Where are we going first?' she asked softly as she took in the sights of the Alley they were walking through.

'Gringotts,' said Hagrid pointing to the large white building they were approaching. Halli wasn't sure how she hadn't noticed it before, it positively dwarfed the other shops.

'Gringotts?'

'The wizard bank.' He replied as they made their way up the large stone steps.

She tried her hardest not to stare at the short creatures that opened the door for them.

'That's a goblin,' Hagrid told her quietly as they approached a free goblin sitting at the counter.

Well, possibly free. He might not have been with someone but he still seemed rather busy to Halli, scribbling in a large ledger, weighing coins on a set of brass scales.

'Morning,' Hagrid said gruffly to the goblin. 'We've come ter take some money outta Miss Halliwell Potter's vault.'

Halli noticed the disdainful look the goblin shot the giant. She agreed that it had been rather rude to just start talking and expect service. She gave the giant another glare before smiling apologetically at the creature behind the counter.

'Do you have your key, Miss Potter?' he asked, looking at her contemplatively.

She had just opened her mouth to tell him that she didn't even know she had a vault when Hagrid interrupted, again rudely, as the goblin hadn't been addressing him.

'Got it here somewhere,' said the giant and he started emptying his pockets on to the counter, scattering a handful of moulding dog-biscuits over the goblin's book of number. Both goblin and girl wrinkled their nose in disgust.

'Got it.' Said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key. The goblin took it to examine while Halli looked at Hagrid in indignation.

'Why did _you_ have my key? Shouldn't it have been given to my guardians? What if they'd needed access to the money in an emergency?'

Hagrid looked at her in confusion.

'I aven't had yer key. Professor Dumbledore has been holdin' it for yer.'

Halliwell drew herself up to her full height, which wasn't much considering she was barely eleven years old and telling off a giant.

'And what is Professor Dumbledore's relation to me for him to be controlling who has access to my money?'

Hagrid still looked shocked.

'Why, 'e's the Headmaster, o' course.'

'Does he have any blood relation to me?'

'No, I don' think so.'

'Then _why_ did he have _my_ key?'

Without giving the giant chance to respond, she turned to the goblin. Despite his frankly frightening appearance, he still looked intelligent with his smart suit which wasn't something she could say about Hagrid in his dirty boots and giant animal skin overcoat. Halli would of guessed mole if she had to but considering she didn't know the kinds of animals were available in the magical world, it really could have been anything.

The goblin, at least, worked in a bank so he had to have at least a certain level of intelligence, something the oaf next to her was clearly lacking. Halli remembered her uncle's interactions with the tellers in the normal bank and decided to mimic him, it was always wise to be nice to the people – or creatures, in this case – that controlled your money and, subsequently, the economy.

'I'm sorry to be difficult but I'm struggling to understand this,' she told the goblin politely and formally. 'I'm new to the magical world. Is it normal for the headmaster, of a school I've yet to step foot in, to have someone's key? To my knowledge, I've never met this man. I was also unaware I had an account with you. Shouldn't my aunt have been receiving monthly statements on my behalf? Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, I admit I'm basing my assumptions off how banks are run in the nor-Muggle world.'

Halli cursed herself for her slip. She couldn't call the world she'd grown up in the normal one when talking to someone from this world, this was the normal one to them.

'It is indeed unusual that the headmaster had your key-'

Hagrid interrupted before he could say anymore.

'Well, Professor Dumbledore was a good friend o' Lily an' James Potter. He's bin holdin' on t' a few o' their possessions for yer.'

Again, the eyes of Halli and the goblin narrowed.

Halliwell observed the giant with a cynical eye. Whoever this Dumbledore character really was, he certainly had Hagrid in his back pocket as her uncle would say. The large man seemed almost fanatically loyal.

'Very well,' she said slowly turning back to the goblin. She gave the creature a look than firmly said 'I _will_ be back and I want _answers_'. She didn't look away until he nodded in understanding.

'I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore,' said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. 'It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen.'

The goblin read the letter carefully.

'Very well,' he said, handing it back to Hagrid, 'I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!'

Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed everything back inside his pockets, he and Halli followed to new goblin towards one of the doors leading off the hall.

After an interesting cart ride, Halli stood waiting as Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out; she didn't think she wanted to know what had caused that. The smoke cleared and Halli gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins, columns of silver and heaps of bronze.

This was all Halli's. It was incredible and Halliwell Potter felt her fury rising over the fact this had been denied her until now.

While the Dursleys were by no means poor, they weren't rich either. They had a modest home in a reasonably nice neighbourhood but with two boisterous children of opposite genders, things had sometimes seemed a little cramped. They had a nice, modern car but it was a company car, not one the family owned themselves.

This money would have made such a difference. It could have covered the difference in cost of the four bedroom house they had and a five bedroom that would have made things so much easier when Aunt Marge came to stay.

Halli resolved to come back at a later date. These goblins needed to clear a few things up for her and she was going to arrange to have a good portion of this gold put into her uncle's bank account. She made sure _she_ was the one to take the key when the goblin locked the vault again.

She stood, blinking in the bright sunlight, while she tried to decide how to approach this. Already this morning, she had discovered several things that gave her much cause for concern and she wanted her aunt and uncle's advice on the issue before she did anything, which included shopping for her school things.

'Hagrid,' she said in a soft, innocent voice. Very different from the tone she'd taken with him in the bank. 'Could we leave off shopping today? I think I'd like to come back with my aunt, make a family day of it before I leave for Hogwarts.'

Hagrid seemed reluctant but eventually caved at the sight of her big green eyes going all round and glassy. They quickly made their way back up the alley and into the Leaky Cauldron. Hagrid handed her an envelope that apparently held her train ticket.

'Yer know yer way back to the station from here?' He asked, already looking round for a seat to take. Halli was disgusted. She nodded vaguely at him, not that he was paying attention.

'Bye, Hagrid.' She said half heartedly over her shoulder as she made her way through the pub and back out into the normal world.

She walked in the direction of the station for a few minutes, just in case Hagrid had stepped out the put to see her off. She turned a corner and slipped into an alleyway between two shops. After looking around to make sure she was alone, Halli closed her eyes and controlled her breathing, she focused until she felt her body begin to shimmer, every particle of her vibrating rapidly. She opened her eyes, still seeing the alleyway between HMV and River Island, she took a step forward and appeared in the thankfully empty courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron.

She quickly tapped the correct brick with her knuckle and disappeared into Diagon Alley before anyone could walk out of the pub and see her. Darting between various shoppers, Halli made her way to the only book shop she'd passed on the way to the bank.

Halli was surprised that the inside of Flourish and Blott's was not as unusual as it could have been. It did have the feel of old antique books simply because all the books available were bound in leather and things like it. Halli would wager she wouldn't find a single paperback book in the entire store.

Not really knowing where to start, Halli made for the person stacking shelves, figuring it was safe to assume she worked in the shop.

'Excuse me,' she said politely, trying to sound like the lost eleven year old she really wasn't. 'I was wondering if you could help me, I'm new to magic and was hoping to find a few books that explained more about the magical world and its history before I started Hogwarts.'

The young witch shot her a grin.

'Muggleborn, eh? Not to worry, we've got a few books that we recommend to help you get used to us, just give me a mo' and I'll fetch them for you.'

The girl disappeared off towards the back of the shop and Halli browsed the nearby shelves while she was waiting. There were actually a few books that caught her eye.

By the time sales woman had return, Halli had pulled _Hogwarts: A History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and_ Modern Magical History_ off the shelves. The witch passed her another three books, _Muggleborns: Welcome to a New World, Social Faux Pas' and How to Avoid Them_ and, finally, _Navigating the Wizarding World: a Guide to Magical Locations_.

It wasn't a bad starting collection, Halli decided.

'They're perfect, thank you,' she said. She held up the last book. 'Does this include Diagon Alley? I'd like to know what shops are available before I start shopping.'

'It does mention the shops and gives a brief description of what they sell but it won't tell you exactly where they are.' The sales woman began ringing up the books, Halli pulled the sack of gold out of her pocket. 'However, for a sickle, you can get a map of the place at the Leaky on your way out.'

Halli thanked her again before making her way towards the start of the Alley. She had a full month before Hogwarts started and with Diagon Alley being reasonably close to home, she knew that was plenty of time to get acquainted with the magical world as well as shop for her school things.

Knowing she couldn't risk passing through the Leaky Cauldron in case Hagrid was still there, Halli made sure no one was looking before ducking around the corner to the side of the apothecary, she also made a mental note to pick up a map the next time she passed through. Making sure she had a tight hold on her books, she focused her magic and pictured her room back at Private Drive, she took a step forward and watched her room materialise around her.

She really loved magic.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again._

_ Now, Halli is finally going to show off some of those awesome powers you just know she has but bear in mind, she is not all powerful, she just has a different understanding of magic. If you don't quite like it now, wait until the next chapter when her magic is explained before you make a decision._

_ I went a little bit mad writing this chapter, inspiration struck and I churned out ten thousand words in a day. I've not written with that level of enthusiasm for years so please forgive me in advance for any spelling mistakes. Some of this was written a three in the morning with my eyes half closed. I tried to catch all the errors I could but if there are any left now they're not spelling mistakes so much as me typing the wrong words._

_Thanks, read and enjoy. Feel free to share your thoughts._

_Hanna x_

September 1st rolled around much too quickly for Halliwell's liking. Despite what she'd thought, it felt like she'd barely had enough time to do everything she needed to.

The first thing she'd done was take another trip to Gringotts that weekend, this time with her uncle in tow. She'd figure that as somewhat of a businessman, her uncle would have a better chance at keeping up with the goblins if they tried to talk circles around her.

This precaution turned out to be unnecessary. The goblin's practically bent over backwards to accommodate her. Apparently, she and her family should have in possession of her key the entire time, including the two other keys in existence. She also should have been receiving her statements. The fact that neither of these things had happened was a personal affront to the Goblin Nation, who took their banking policies very seriously.

It was, however, a good thing that Uncle Vernon had been there. As a minor, she couldn't actually authorise them do to anything but her uncle, as one of her guardians, could. With a single drop of her blood, they'd been able to nullify the other keys as well as recall any magical item that had officially belonged to the Potters for more than five years.

This happened to be quite a few things actually, most of it apparently looted from her parent's house after they died. For some insane reason, no one had thought to secure the house the Potters had been living in when they died and so people had been able to help themselves to 'souvenirs'.

There had also been a large number of silver instruments that used her blood to function. According to magic, this made them hers though she had absolutely no idea what they did. There had also been a ruby encrusted sword, a silvery sort of cloak and a stone basin with runes etched into the side of it, apparently these artefacts had been in the Potter family for generations.

Uncle Vernon had been rather baffled that they were able to simply summon everything to them and so was Halli for that matter. What stopped someone stealing the blood of someone else and using it to summon everything that belonged to them and robbing them blind?

'Magic has a level of sentience to it,' a goblin had explained. 'It is not a living entity by any means but it understands the intention behind an action. For example, this spell can be used by anyone but if the blood is being used this way without a person's permission, the spell simply fails.'

Halli, personally, thought that was a load of tripe. If magic had enough sentience to it to prevent someone stealing, then shouldn't all crimes via magic be impossible? She thought it was far more likely that after years of performing this spell, magic was responding to their expectations rather than intentions.

After all, if you knew you were using the blood without permission and you expected the spell to fail then it would. However, the goblins were intimidating creatures and Halli had no desire to share this theory, let alone test it.

Business at the bank had concluded quickly after that. Thankfully, nothing had actually been taken from any of her vaults since her parents had last been there which meant that the Headmaster had, at least, not been actively stealing from her. That didn't mean she trusted him though, nor anyone in this rather backwards world actually. Her uncle had instructed the goblins to take higher security measures just in case. From then on, direct access to the account would require a blood test every time and only her uncle and her were authorised to enter.

The revelation that she had more than one vault had come as a surprise though it did make sense after the goblins explained. There was her trust vault, the one she'd seen, this was the only one she could access until she turned seventeen. There had also been the main vault which held everything the Potters owned, including the rest of their gold.

There had also been several vaults left to her by people with no children or family that wanted to thank her for stopping the Dark Lord. It was the contents of these vaults that were converted into Muggle money and added to her family's account. They were already shopping around for a new home in a nicer part of London, though they promised that Halli could view the houses at Christmas before they made their final decision. And it wasn't like Halli couldn't come home at a moment notice if they found one they really liked and wanted to place an offer there and then.

The young girl had spent the next few weeks reading the books she had purchased during her first trip to the Alley. She began to understand a little more about why she was so famous when she read of all the atrocities the Dark Lord had committed before he'd tried to kill her. She supposed she too would hail the child that had managed to stop such an evil man even if the child hadn't _consciously_ done anything.

It still didn't mean she _liked_ the fame though but she could be tolerant and gracious to the people she met now she understood a little more what the people had been through before she came along.

Reading about that had also made her determined to keep her magic a secret for as long as possible and even if people found out what she could do, she would die before she told them how, even if she could explain it.

This society was practically tribal in certain aspects and its people were like children, doing what they're told without question and turning on anything different. Halli had yet to find a single person in her history books that she would trust with the power she had. All of them would use it to achieve their own end and ideals. It seemed that almost every war this world had suffered through had been about who should be in charge or who should be allowed to study magic. In some cases, they had actually been about who was allowed to _live_.

Halli had begun to suspect it was probably a good thing that these people had placed restrictions on their powers. If they had been only limited by her imagination like she was, it would become a society of people believing themselves to be gods, probably vengeful gods. And half the people she'd met already thought they were superior as it was, even if they didn't realise it.

Her Aunt Petunia had told her that, in the end, even Lily had been tainted by that mindset and began to look down on her Muggle family.

Since then, Halli had been having a bit of a personal dilemma.

How could she make friends?

It seemed like such a juvenile question but it was a valid point. Anyone she got close with would eventually realise just how much she could do, what if they became envious? It would be perfectly understandable but still not something she wanted to deal with.

What if they turned on her? Thought her dark for being able to use magic in a way they didn't understand, a way they were told couldn't be done?

She'd decided during her third trip to Diagon Alley, this time with Aunt Petunia as they shopped for her school things, that she'd stick to people Muggle-raised. They were far more likely to have an open mind.

There was one good thing that came out of being the Girl-Who-Lived, it was somewhat expected that she'd be extra powerful. If anyone did catch her using her own special brand of magic, it could be brushed away and under the rug.

She'd planned to keep a low profile, to let herself be considered weak in order to go unnoticed. She already laid the groundwork for it weeks before when she visited the Leaky Cauldron with Hagrid. However, with every new thing she read about herself, that seemed more and more unlikely. Almost nothing in the books she'd read was actually true, at least not as far as she could tell, but everyone she'd encountered still seemed to believe it.

If people just took a moment to really think, out of everyone present the night her parents died, she was the only one alive so how could anyone else possibly know what had occurred? Did they even know for certain it was the Killing Curse she'd been hit with? Was there a way to tell what spell had been used?

There were so many things that could be nothing more than speculation and the entire magical world took them as fact.

This let Halli with one burning question, did she stick with the original plan of flying under the radar – if the general populace would actually let her, that is – or did she play into the image? Both options had equal consequences and benefits.

Halliwell jumped as she felt the train begin to move. She'd been so deep in thought she hadn't even heard the whistle going. She looked up as the door opened to see a round faced, blonde haired boy with a hopeful look on his face and a struggling toad gripped in his hand.

'D-do you mind if I j-join you?' Although the look on his face was hopeful, there was something about the tone of his voice that said he expected rejection. He seemed like a kicked puppy and Halliwell had always had a soft spot for strays.

She smiled warmly at him.

'Of course, come on in. It would be nice to make a friend before arriving.'

She wasn't usually so forward but the boy practically screamed insecure, Halli knew that any overtures of friendship would have to be made by her. She mused about the best way to help him relax as she watched him struggle to lift his trunk into the overhead rack. She discretely pointed a finger at the offending object, subtly using her magic to help the boy move it into place. He was slightly out of breath as he turned around but he'd managed to get it up there without too much difficultly. Halli made sure her hands were busy stroking the black kitten on her lap just in case.

The boy smiled shyly at her as he settled himself in the seat opposite.

'So, what's your name?' She asked, trying to keep her voice quiet and soothing. The boy blushed anyway.

'N-Neville Longbottom.' He answered quietly. 'Yours?'

'Halliwell Potter.'

Neville's eyes widened slightly and twitched just a little bit. Halli was amused and impressed; he'd managed to stop himself glancing at her scar. He was the first one so far so she decided to reward him. With a grin, she pushed her fringe to the side, just enough to expose the famous lightning bolt scar.

Neville seemed to be at a loss for words which just served to amuse Halli more.

'So, tell me about yourself, Neville.'

The boy blushed again.

'There's n-not much to t-tell, really.' He mumbled quietly, staring at his fingers clenched in his lap. Halli's heart went out to the boy.

'Well, are you Muggle-raised or wizard?'

'W-wizard. I'm from one of the o-old families, l-like you.'

Halliwell frowned at that.

'I'm from one of the old families?' She asked. 'What does that mean?'

Neville looked at her in surprise so she elaborated.

'I was raised in the M-Muggle world, by my mum's sister. I knew magic existed but not very much about it. I really only came back to the Wizarding world about a month ago.'

Neville nodded his head slightly, aware that Lily Potter had been a Muggleborn.

'W-well, it d-doesn't mean anything r-really. Being part of one of the old f-families means your family have been magical B-British citizens for a very long time. Like n-nearly a millennia. There's n-nothing attached to it, l-like a responsibility but its considered s-something of a status symbol. Even the Malfoys aren't considered an old f-family because they only came from F-France about five hundred years ago.'

Halli had no idea who the Malfoys were but nodded anyway. Okay, this was fine, she decided, if it didn't have any responsibility then it wasn't something that would try to keep her in this topsy-turvy world.

'Do I get a title?' Halli asked with a grin. Neville still blushed but at least managed to smile back.

'You do, a-actually.'

Halli's eyes went wide and Neville even managed a laugh.

'Really?'

'Y-yep,' Neville nodded. 'When you t-turn seventeen, you'll be k-known as L-Lady Potter.'

Halli was in shock. She would be considered a Lady of the Realm but how? Surely, all the Muggles vying for titles would have picked up on the fact that a few Lords and Ladies were missing from their Christmas card list.

'I won't actually have any connection to the Peerage though, will I?'

Neville shook his head.

'N-no, the title is just for d-decoration. It's just an honorary t-thing for being d-descended from the f-first magical settlers but you w-will be expected to act a c-certain way.'

Halli felt herself go pale. This is not what she signed up for!

'What sort of way? Do I have to learn to curtsey and cross my legs properly?' She asked, her panic obvious. Neville hastened to reassure her.

'Nothing l-like that but you c-can say that no one w-will expect you to work in a s-shop after graduating unless you o-own it.'

She frowned.

'Is there something wrong with working in a shop?'

'N-not really but it c-could be awkward if c-customers had to c-call you Lady P-Potter.' Neville laughed.

Halliwell finally cracked a smile, pleased her friend was lightening up even if it was sort of at her expense.

'Okay, Neville, I have a job for you.'

Neville lost his smile and paled slightly. Halli made a mental note to build up his confidence.

'W-w-what?'

Halli frowned when she realised his stutter was worse than ever, she hadn't even noticed it had started to fade as he relaxed.

'Neville Longbottom, I task you with job of making sure I don't embarrass myself or my ancestors. You said you were from an old family too, right? You're going to be Lord Longbottom when you turn seventeen?' She waited for him to nod before continuing.

'I'm actually g-going to be Lord Clearwater. The title comes f-from my mother's s-side so while I'll s-still be called Neville Longbottom, I w-will officially be called Lord Neville C-Clearwater.' He explained. 'It w-will be the same if you get m-married. Even if you t-take your husband's surname, officially you'll b-be Lord and Lady P-Potter.'

'Okay, these rules are starting to get complicated. Now, I definitely need you to help me. I have no idea how to be a Lady. Can you teach me?'

Neville blushed but looked oddly flattered. He sat up a little straighter.

'There's n-not much to teach really.'

'Okay, then will you be my friend, stick close by and pinch me if I'm about to do something I shouldn't?'

Neville's shoulders straightened out a little more and he managed a smile, though he still blushed.

'I think I c-can do that, if you h-help me with my potions homework. Gran g-got me a t-tutor over the summer and I'm t-terrible at the subject.'

'I think I can do that,' she parroted back. 'But I've only read the theory in my books, I've never actually tried to make a potion. I'm looking forward to the class so I hope I'm good, however, I promise that if we both stink, we'll muddle through together.'

She held out her hand. Neville didn't even hesitate to shake it.

'Deal.' He said with a nod and a grin.

Halli wanted to do a happy dance. She'd officially made her first magical friend, though it could nearly be considered first friend altogether. She'd had casual friends in primary school but no one she spent a lot of time with because, while she could control her magic, she still had accidental magic when she was frightened or upset.

'So, what do you know of Hogwarts?' She asked with a wide smile, still absentmindedly stroking the kitten on her lap. 'Do you know what house you want to go in?'

'You don't get to pick your house,' Neville said glumly. 'I'll probably be in Hufflepuff though Gran wants me in Gryffindor like my dad.'

'I kind of want to go to Hufflepuff,' Halli responded, trying to bring her new friend out of his funk. '_Hogwarts: A History_ said the house is loyal and hardworking but that Helga Hufflepuff was also willing to take any student the others didn't want. I like the sound of that, people would be humble and friendly; you'd probably make some great friends. However, I look terribly in yellow.'

Neville grinned at that, somewhat cheered at the improved opinion of Hufflepuff.

'Besides, you must have _some_ say in where you go.' She said matter-of-factly. 'If you were really opposed to one house or really desperate for another, whoever decides would probably take it into account. Surely, the school can't make you miserable by putting you somewhere you'd hate, even if you do possess the necessary qualities.'

'That makes sense,' Neville said with a nod. He looked to be thinking hard. 'I don't think I've ever actually meet anyone who hated the house they were in.'

'See!' Halli said, grinning smugly. Pleased when her new friend grinned back, suitably cheered up. 'Still, it would be nice if you got to be in the same house as your dad. I don't know what houses my parents were in. Aunt Petunia never saw any of my mother's school things.'

'They were in Gryffindor with my parents,' Neville's voice was soft. 'Our mums were close friends.'

The mood in the carriage felt sombre again but Halli was determined to keep things light.

'Well then, we shall have to carry on the tradition and be very close friends as well. Two very close friends in Gryffindor.'

The two share another grin and jumped when the compartment door opened.

'Anything off the trolley, dears?'

Half an hour later, Halliwell was groaning and holding her stomach. Neville was laughing at her.

'I told you it wasn't a good idea to try a little bit of everything.'

'Well, I've never had magical sweets before,' Halli said, sounding rather pathetic. 'I didn't know what I'd like.'

Neville just laughed at her as she moaned piteously. The little black kitten, however, seemed rather unimpressed with the way her seat kept moving. With a small wiggle and a stretch, making sure to lightly scratch her owner's leg, she hopped on to the seat next to Halli and tried to getting comfortable again but not before giving her human an admonishing look.

Halli forgot about her stomach ache as she laughed.

'It's a cute kitten,' Neville said, lightly. 'What's it called?'

'I don't know yet,' Halli answered with a shake of her head. 'I can't decide between Salem and Tabby. At the moment, I just keep referring to her as 'Baby'.'

'But she'd not a tabby cat.' Neville pointed out in confusion, suddenly concerned for his new friend's mental capacity. Halli just laughed.

'Well, it wouldn't be a funny name if she were actually a tabby, there's no joy in life in you can't leave people confused every now and then.' She pointed out with a grin. 'Besides, they're Muggle references. There was a book series called the Worst Witch about a girl going to magic school. She had a cat called Tabby, it seemed appropriate but it also feels like I might be jinxing myself.'

Neville nodded with a chuckle.

'So, what's Salem from then, besides the obvious?'

'Another Muggle reference, again about a teenage witch, this time called Sabrina. She had a talking black cat that acted as the family's familiar.'

'The cat could talk?' Neville asked with a raised eyebrow.

'It's fictional!' Halli defended.

'I'd go with Salem, it suits her more.'

'I think you're right, even though Salem is meant to be a boy's name.' She stroked her kitten thoughtfully. 'If I get any funny looks, I'll just shorten it to Sally.'

'You could call her Sally-Cat, you know, like alley cat. It can be short for Salem the Cat.'

Halliwell burst out laughing.

'I love it. And she's certainly got the right attitude. Though I think it will be short for Lady Salem of Catwick. That sounds like a good and proper British name, suitable for the companion of Lady Potter.' She looked over at her friend. 'Did you bring a pet with you?'

'I did,' Neville said with a nod as he began looking around the compartment. 'My uncle got me a toad but I seem to keep losing him.'

She remembered he'd been holding a toad when he'd first arrived but she hadn't seen it since. She also hadn't heard any croaking.

'He's probably escaped the compartment,' Halli said sympathetically. 'Let's go looking for him. You go left and I'll go right.'

Neville nodded morosely and left the compartment. Halli sighed. She knew she could bring the toad right to her but she couldn't risk exposing her powers so soon and as much as she felt she could trust Neville with her secret, it would still be foolish to do so after only a few hours of friendship.

She'd give it few weeks, maybe until Christmas, and if Neville still seemed like he'd understand, she'd tell him.

With another sigh, she gathered Sally-Cat into her arms and set off in the opposite direction of her friend. The kitten fussed slightly in her arms, unhappy about being moved yet again. Halli rubbed behind her ears until she'd settled down.

Halliwell decided to check the corridors first before she started disturbing people but when that search yielded no results, she forced herself to steel her courage and start knocking on compartment doors, starting at the end of the train and making her way back up towards her own seat.

Most people were rather friendly or at least cordial. A few people in green and silver ties had sneered at her and offered her a curt 'no'. Halli decided that she didn't want to be in that house, whatever it was, though if her memory served then those colours represented Slytherin house.

A pale boy with blonde hair had simply given her a look of disgust and resumed his conversation. Halli glanced around the compartment quickly before leaving. She stood in the corridor still able to hear their conversation. She quickly pictured the three of them sitting there. The pale, blonde boy and what appeared to be two vaguely humanised lumps of rock.

She focused on the blonde boy. He'd had a goblet of pumpkin juice in his hand, it had been full. Why he wasn't just drinking it out the bottle like every other self-respecting pre-teen, she didn't know but it certainly made her job easier.

She quickly placed a hand on the outer wall of the corridor and channelled her magic. The train car gave a small but sharp lurch. A shocked cry from inside the compartment told her the magic had done its job. She peeked through the window of the door and was pleased to see the blonde boy standing up and franticly trying to brush the icy juice off his lap.

With a small, self satisfied giggle, Halli moved onto the next compartment.

She was only a few doors down from her own when a girl with bushy brown hair opened the door to the compartment she was heading for next. She arrived at the girls shoulder just in time to hear her ask if anybody had seen a toad. She smiled at Neville as he appeared at her other shoulder.

Halli mentally sighed; she should have just pretended to look under the seat then summoned the toad to her. It would have been much easier than this but she was just too afraid to take the chance.

'We've already told him we haven't seen it,' she heard someone snap. Halli looked over the girls shoulder and into the compartment. There were three boys sitting inside, it seemed to have been the redhead holding his wand that had spoken.

'Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then.'

Halli gave the girl an unimpressed look even though she couldn't see it. The girl didn't sound very nice. A bit imperious and demanding. In other words, a little bit spoiled.

The girl moved into the compartment and invited herself to sit down. Halli thought this was rather rude, and it looked like the boys agreed given the taken aback looks they were all sporting.

At least it allowed Halli and Neville to move closer to the doorway and see what was going on. The two other boys gave them friendly smiles, the red head seemed to be too shocked at the command he'd just been given to notice them.

'Er – all right.' He said, clearing his throat. He pointed his wand at the sleeping rat in his lap.

'_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

_Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.'_

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. The rat stayed grey and still appeared to be fast asleep.

'Are you sure that's a real spell?' The other girl said, her voice taking in a slightly haughty quality. 'Well, it's not very good, is it?'

Halli raised an eyebrow in shock. That was an incredibly rude and somewhat mean thing to say. She was fairly certain she wouldn't like this girl. The girl also seemed like she had a lot more to say. Halli got the impression that this girl considered her own opinions more important than other people's.

'I've only tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me.'

Okay, she was just showing off now, Halli decided. Her opinion of dislike firmly cemented. She chose to interrupt before the girl could hit her stride.

'I think it's a real spell.' Halli said, offering the dejected and humiliated redhead a warm smile. 'British wizards don't typically use spells like that, you know, in rhyming verse, so you might have got the words wrong when translating. Do you mind if I try?'

'How can _you_ get it right, if the original spell isn't _here_ for you to translate?' The other girl stared down her noise, sounding rather superior.

'How do _you_ know it isn't here?' Halli countered with a raised eyebrow. 'Besides, if you have practise at using these sorts of spells, it becomes rather easy to figure out what's gone wrong.'

Halli had absolutely no idea what she was saying. She was completely making it up as she went along but she didn't care. She wasn't going to let this bossy show-off continue to make the redheaded boy feel two inches tall. Besides she was making it seem like this was a kind of magic from another culture but Halli didn't specify _which_ culture, not that it was actually any as far as she knew. The girl would be searching for months, possibly years, if she tried to check them all.

She turned to the redheaded boy who gave her a grateful look and nodded to the seat next to him. Halli sat, shifting Sally into one arm so she could pull her wand out her hair were she'd stuck it into her bun. It seemed like a good idea considering the wand was a bit long to put into a pocket, plus it was fun.

The other girl gave a disdainful sniff.

'Now,' She starting, trying to sound like she knew what she was saying while still completely making it up. 'In the kind of cultures these spells can come from, magic is normally treated as something to be worshiped. Spells are written in a way that the caster is stating a need and hoping it's fulfilled, or sometimes requesting it.'

She imagined something like the Incans and the way they'd worshiped their Gods with sacrifices. Nothing was allowed to be taken for granted; even the changing of the seasons had to be officially requested with a sacrifice. Halli looked around the compartment to see she had everyone's undivided attention. It was a little bit unnerving.

'Well, it sounds like you've got the first bit right, you describe your desired outcome. Chances are the issue is within the wording of the second line. It's stating a need; this spell might be written for a request. Let's see,

_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

_I request this rat turn yellow.'_

Halli waved her wand and focused her magic. The others watched in astonishment as the rat rapidly began to lighten from grey to white before morphing into a pure, dazzling yellow.

'Hmm,' Halli said with a faux-thoughtful frown. 'The spell isn't a very powerful one, so its results are only temporary, it might last an hour at most.'

The redhead was staring at his now yellow rat in shock.

'I've got to show Fred and George,' He said, getting to his feet. 'They gave me the spell, probably trying to trick me. This'll shock them.'

The boy quickly made his way out of the compartment, only pausing long enough to turn to Halli and say,

'I'm Ron, by the way, Ron Weasley.'

He was gone before Halli had the chance to introduce herself. She turned to the others to find the girl glaring at her.

'Well, who are you then?' She demanded.

Halli straighten her shoulders and lifted her chin, she was going to play the Girl-Who-Lived angle to its full advantage.

'_I'm_ Halliwell Potter,' She sniffed disdainfully just for effect. 'And _you_ are?'

The girl looked down quickly, obviously she'd heard of her.

'Hermione Granger.' She muttered absently as she left the compartment quickly. Halli didn't know exactly what had effected such a change in the girl but either way she was grateful for it. Maybe Hermione thought Halli would use her status as a celebrity to make life difficult for her? Given the way people had reacted to her in Diagon Alley, she had no doubt she _could_ make that happen but she certainly wouldn't _want_ to and nor would she bother.

Halli waited until she was completely certain the other girl was gone before she dropped the act.

'Sorry about that,' she said to the others with a grin, friendly demeanour completely back in place. 'But, whether she meant to or not, she was embarrassing your friend and I didn't really want to let that continue. I'm Halli, by the way.'

She held her hand out, the black boy went to take it first.

'Dean,' He said giving her hand a firm shake. 'And don't worry about it.'

Halli narrowed her eyes. That was an ambiguous comment. Was he being deliberately diplomatic? She couldn't help but notice that he'd forgiven her behaviour without falling into the common trap of commenting on Hermione's. A pitfall especially dangerous to children who were still learning the consequences of their words.

'You have younger siblings?' She stated more than asked.

'Yeah,' he said with a laugh. His subtle comment had been deliberate or at least force of habit and he knew that was exactly why she figured him out. When one sibling comes crying to you about something one of the others did, don't express an opinion, just offer comfort, anything you say will be used against you when everyone is friends again. 'Several, actually.'

Halli nodded, pleased with herself noticing. She turned to the other boy. This one had sandy hair with a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks, he reached over to shake her hand.

'Seamus,' He supplied with a slight Irish brogue. Halli decided it was a pleasant accent.

'This is my friend, Neville.' She said, indicating the boy still hovering in the doorway.

'Come on in,' Dean answered the unasked question, indicating the seat that Ron had recently vacated.

'So, what house do you want to be in?' Halli asked before the silence could get awkward. That question seemed like a pretty good ice breaker between the fellow first years.

Halli and Neville made their way back to their own compartment about an hour later. They'd just polished off the last of the sweets when Neville realised it was starting to get dark which meant they'd be arriving soon. Both reached into their trunks for their robes and Neville was polite enough to go and find a bathroom to change in and Halli took the opportunity to recall the runaway toad.

Halli quickly changed her Muggle clothes for a pair of tailored black slacks and a fitted white blouse. The sales assistant at Twilfitt and Tatting's – an upscale clothing store in Diagon Alley – had explained that while Hogwarts didn't have an official uniform to go under their school robes, the robes themselves would not sit right over regular Muggle clothing. Apparently, the robes were most flattering over an outfit like this. Halli didn't really mind as she thought the whole ensemble made her look rather grown up. Aunt Petunia had teared up at the sight of her.

Halli also found herself liking the robe more than she thought she would, though she did admit to her aunt then she felt like she was wearing a Halloween costume. Aunt Petunia had said she looked very smart and modern for someone who had just stepped off the pages of Lord of the Rings.

The robe really wasn't that bad. There had been a few different designs to choose from and Halli found she quite liked the one she'd picked. It wasn't as Medieval as it could have been, though the style was a little mature for her age, it was still perfectly appropriate. It was fitted around the chest though it didn't really have anything to fit to. It also had long sleeves that gradually became more fitting as they reached the wrist and covered the back of her had just ever so slightly, it felt very elegant. Apparently, that was so they couldn't interfere with her spell casting or potion making.

It was the skirt part of the robe that Halli loved most though. Despite picking the style that made her feel most like a grown up, she had to admit she loved it when she twirled and the long skirt spread out around her. Even when she was standing still, the skirt flared out slightly at the waist. The robes fastened up to about mid chest, leaving just enough room to see the white collar of her shirt and the top of her currently black tie. They also fastened down to just above the knee, which was why she chose to wear slacks even though some woman didn't.

Halli was very conscious of the fact she was heading for a winter in Scotland. All in all, the robes were pretty decent, to Halli it just felt like an extra long pea coat made out of a more lightweight material.

Halli gripped Neville's hand tightly as they followed the giant Hagrid through the dark. She was far from pleased. It was dark, it was cold and it was damp and they were walking through a bloody forest. It felt like Hansel and Gretel being lead to the gingerbread house. She couldn't even see where she was going, this was dangerous. If she broke her ankle, she was going to sue.

Though even Halli quickly forgot her complaints as the castle actually came in to view. It was magical. Now she was pleased she'd come.

Even if she wasn't going to put much stock in her lessons, simply spending seven years in this castle while practicing her own magic would be wonderful. Her mind exploded with the idea of hidden rooms and secret passageways. This first thing she was going to do was head to the library; she was going to pull every book off the shelves one by one. It would be just too perfect if she found a room lost to the ages that way.

Her complaints came back as they had to actually cross the lake it little boats. Sure, the view was beautiful and coming across the lake was great for effect but it was September in Scotland, it was bloody freezing! At least she didn't have the Granger girl in her boat. It was the three boys they met, Ron, Dean and Seamus, that had been stuck with Hermione. Halli could see the other girl's lips moving a mile a minute but was thankfully too far away to hear her. Her and Neville were sharing with a set of Indian twins.

The Entrance Hall wasn't much better than the lake. It was absolutely enchanting of course, it could have held the Dursleys whole house, but its size made it very hard for the room to maintain warmth so Halli continued to shiver until she was led into a considerably smaller antechamber.

She listened with fascination as Professor McGonagall explained the houses and the points system. It was like the gold star systems a lot of primary schools use. Halli nervously began adjusting her hat as she waited for the teacher to return. McGonagall had eyed her as she told them to smarten themselves up.

Apparently, according to the sales witch at Twilfitt and Tatting's, the hat she'd selected was quite unfashionable. Apparently, pointed hats didn't come with wide brims any more. Halli honestly didn't care.

She wanted to wear her robes and her wide brimmed witch's hat, she wanted to sit side saddle on her broom as she flew through the moonlit sky, cloak billowing behind her and her black cat settled comfortable on the broom's tail.

She wanted to fulfil the cliché, damnit!

Halliwell clung on tight to Neville's hand as the school ghosts caused several people to scream, giving her the fright of her life. She struggled to get her heart rate to return to normal, her nerves were starting to creep up on her. What if she was too different? What if they decided she didn't belong at Hogwarts? Halli wasn't even really sure why she was panicking, she wasn't really fussed on what people thought of her. Maybe it was the idea of the whole school watching as she was rejected. She was too lost to her thoughts to do anything more that follow automatically as McGonagall led them into the Great Hall.

She came back to earth with a bump as a Hat began to sing.

She scoffed silently. That hat had a wide brim.

It was an interesting process, watching the Hat sort people into their houses but Halli could help but wonder how it worked. Did the Hat read your mind? Did it ask you questions? Did it ask you for your opinion?

Seamus Finnigan was the first of Halli's new friends to try the Hat. He sat there for almost a whole minute before the Hat announced he was going into Gryffindor. Halli's happiness as that was short lived as Hermione Granger was quick to join to him.

The young girl groaned. If she got her wish of going to Gryffindor, she was going to have to share a living space with that overbearing girl for the next seven years. Hufflepuff was starting to look appealing again, despite the fact she really did hate the colour yellow.

Halli crossed her fingers when it was Neville's turn. She decided that whatever house Neville went into, she'd do her best to follow.

'GRYFFINDOR.' The Hat shouted. Neville was so relieved he ran off still wearing it. He had to jog back to pass it to someone called Morag MacDougal.

The pale, blonde haired boy with the wet trousers turned out to be named Draco Malfoy. Halli felt a thrill of vindictive pleasure. He'd slighted her on the train, possibly because of the Muggle clothes she'd been wearing at the time, and it turned out she was from a more prestigious family that him. She couldn't wait for the first time he had to call her Lady Potter.

'Potter, Halliwell,' McGonagall finally called. The entire room became deathly silent before almost everyone starting hissing and whispering to the person next to them. It sounded like the Great Hall had a gas leak.

Halli grit her teeth, trying to remember her vow to be more tolerant. She was desperate to snap at someone. Instead, she decided to have a little fun.

She wanted to make a scene, an entrance. If people were going to blatantly talk about her when she could clearly see them then she'd see what she could do to leave them speechless. That would put a stop to it.

For the moment, at least.

She just couldn't let it be too obvious that it was her, especially if she decided to stick to her low profile plan.

She'd read _Hogwarts: A History_ once cover to cover and had skimmed it several times since. There were several greatly supported theories that the Castle had become semi-sentient over the one thousand years it had been standing.

Halli could sort of believe that. It had been saturated in magic for so long that the Castle had probably retained some magic of its own by now but Halli sort of doubted it could consciously use it. It didn't have a mind after all.

Then again, neither did the Sorting Hat, at least not one she could see. If the Founders of Hogwarts had used magic to bring a Hat to life, could the collective magic of one thousand years bring the Castle to life? It actually seemed quite likely when she thought about it that way.

But whether it was true or not, Halli was going to use that theory to her advantage and have a little fun with her fame if she couldn't make it go away.

She approached the hat and the stool slowly, pulling her own hat off her head, gently so as not to mess up her bun. Halli focused her magic towards the stool that she had to sit on. She turned to face the rest of the school, everyone was craning their necks to get a close a look at her. A few of the older Slytherins that had been rude to her were sharing grim looks. Malfoy looked positively stricken.

Halli released her magic as she lowered herself on to the stool. The gasps around the Hall telling her that her magic had been successful.

Instead of sitting on a wooden stool, Halliwell felt herself sitting on a large high-backed throne, golden if she'd done it right. The seat and back cushioned with plush and hopefully red velvet. Quite conveniently, the throne just happened to be Gryffindor colours.

Halli adopted a look of shock and turned around to see the throne for herself. It was rather pretty actually. Not too gaudy but still intricate and regal. The words carved into the top of the throne announced her as the Heiress of Gryffindor. She looked up at the teacher next to here.

'What happened?' She asked softly, making sure to sound slightly timid.

Despite the fact she'd practically whispered, her questioned echoed in the silence of the Hall.

Professor McGonagall floundered, looking slightly like a fish out of water. The woman turned to the Headmaster, clearly expecting an answer.

'Well, this is interesting,' the Headmaster said in his grandfatherly voice. 'I do believe Hogwarts is welcoming the Heiress of Gryffindor home.'

That was sort of stating the obvious really, Halli thought. Since no one would expect her to be able to do that level of magic, no one would suspect her. They might suspect the Headmaster or one of the teachers but she highly doubted staff would be allowed to play favourites. So who else could it have been but the Castle itself? Or at least, that was the conclusion she wanted people to come to.

Whispering resumed in the Hall and Professor McGonagall finally lowered the Sorting Hat onto Halli's head.

Halli jumped as a gravelly voice began muttering in her ear.

'_Well, well. This is an interesting mind you have here, Miss Potter. A very unique perspective on magic, I must say, but where to put you? A great mind, oh yes, very logical but open to new things. A good amount of cunning and you're certainly not afraid of hard work. Plenty of courage even if you are a little jumpy.'_

Halli felt herself tense. That could be any house!

'_But you want a quiet life, don't you, Miss Potter? You don't want the level of scrutiny that comes with greatness and I can understand why. What is your goal in coming to Hogwarts, Miss Potter?_

Halli thought about the question seriously, she hadn't particularly wanted to come at all but she hadn't had a choice in the matter. So what did she want now she was already here?

_Friends_, her mind whispered, _and fun_.

'_Really?'_ The Hat asked, sounding amused. '_Well then, better be GRYFFINDOR!'_

She was unsurprised to hear the Hat shout the last word to the rest of the Hall. The red and gold table practically exploded with cheers. Halli placed her own hat back on her head as she raced to the empty seat next to Neville. Grinning as she undid the magic on the stool, returning it to its original appearance.

Two redheaded boys that looked like they could be related to Ron were doing a sort of jig, both of them singing 'We got Potter! We got Potter!' It actually took a firework from the wand of the Headmaster to get the table to settle. Halli supposed that having the Girl-Who-Lived in your house as well as the actual heir to the Founder of your house gave people reason to celebrate.

The rest of the Sorting seemed to pass quickly after Halli had her house. Maybe that was just her perspective though? Time had seemed slower while she was waiting for her doom.

Dean Thomas and Ron Weasley quickly became members of Gryffindor House. Halli was pleased she'd be able to continue her friendships with them without the inconvenience of different houses. She looked down at her empty gold plate and realised just how hungry she was, her last real meal had been breakfast and even those sweets seemed like hours ago.

The Headmaster eventually got to his feet, beaming at them all with his arms opened wide in greeting.

'Welcome!' He said. 'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words to you, and here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!'

Halli chuckled slightly, bonkers the man might be but at least he was witty.


	3. Chapter 3

_So here we are, chapter three and we finally get to know how Halli began to learn her magic. Read and enjoy and don't forget to share your thoughts. Some bits will sound familiar as I've tried to keep other characters as close to canon as possible._

_ Hanna x_

Halliwell grumbled slightly as she woke the next morning. It was just her luck to arrive on a Sunday. That meant it was straight to classes the next day without any time to get accustomed to the Castle. She didn't mind really, there were even a few classes that she was looking forward to, she just wasn't much of a morning person.

She sat up and looked around. Where was her cat? She'd been here the night before when she'd fallen asleep. Halli mentally shrugged, she'd probably just gone exploring.

With that thought in mind, Halli was surprised to stretch and feel something furry press against her foot. Whatever this furry thing was, it did not seem to like the fact it was being disturbed if the claws attacking the bottom of Halli's feet were anything to go by. She shrieked and pulled her ticklish foot away, lifting her covers to glare at the languorously stretching form of Sally-Cat.

'Meanie.' Halli muttered she pulled herself out of bed, wincing as her bare feet hit the cold wood before making her way quickly to the bathroom. Pausing only to grab her toiletries bag holding her tooth brush and face wash.

That was essentially how every morning went during her first week of school.

It didn't take Halli long to realise she would not like any of the girls in her dorm room. Hermione continued to be very much a busybody and the other two, Parvati and Lavender, had nothing but fluff between the ears. They didn't seem to talk about anything but boys and clothes and how unfair it was that their parents wouldn't let them wear makeup yet.

Halli dearly wished she was sleeping in the boy's dormitory. The company was much better there. In fact, it was only her new friends that kept her going really.

Everyone else in the school stared at her with varying expressions, most of which she couldn't actually understand. She'd come to terms with the fact she was famous, even if she didn't like it, but the looks on the other student's faces weren't grateful hero worship. It was more like _awe_.

They looked at her as if she wasn't human but something _more_.

It was honestly freaking her out.

After three days of the staring, she finally gave up and managed to find an excuse to drag Neville off on his own so she could question him.

Neville had just laughed at her. Halli was pleased to see his stutter was completely gone when it was just them together.

Apparently, she was something of a fairytale to the children that had grown up in the magical world, it just made the whole thing even more disturbing. At least there weren't books written about her. Well, not story books, she was in a few of the history ones.

It was a little disappointing really. No one was looking at her like she was a real person. To them, she was just a title, a story, a mythical being. What did they see when they looked at her? Would they expect her to be perfect? A paradigm of chastity and virtue, a symbol of all that was good in the world?

They looked at her like they looked at Dumbledore. Maybe she should copy him? She was rich and famous so she was allowed to be a little bit eccentric, right? If they expected her to be powerful and wondrous, then maybe she should encourage the image.

Was it better for her to be seen as powerful from the beginning and therefore not questioned or should she try to stay hidden and then face possible consequences if she was ever discovered?

Halli honestly didn't know. If she started openly displaying more of her talents then people would stare at her even more than they did now but if she tried to hide it and was caught, she had no doubt the world would label her as dark and dangerous before she could so much as open her mouth to defend herself.

To Halli's misfortune, Draco Malfoy had been the first person brave enough to approach her and he'd done so with all the swagger of a Prince expecting peasants to bow to him. He was arrogant and petty and Halli knew instantly that they wouldn't get along. She knew before he'd even opened his mouth that he was going to be her rival, the _Libby Chessler_ to her _Sabrina_, the _Ethel Hallow_ to her _Mildred Hubble_. A daily annoyance but, ultimately, a rather small concern considering the secrets she was hiding.

She'd been talking with Neville at breakfast when he'd come up to her.

'Halliwell Potter, I'd heard you'd be coming to Hogwarts this year.'

Halli just gave him a look before resuming her conversation. Just like he'd done to her on the train, though she was classy enough to hold back on her disgust.

'Excuse me,' he'd demanded. 'I'm talking to you.'

'And I was silently dismissing you, in case that escaped your notice.' She'd countered without missing a beat. 'Surely, you're familiar with the gesture, it came to you rather easily yesterday.'

A pink tinge appeared on his pale cheeks. She figured he'd been hoping she'd forgotten.

'I'd be careful if I were you, _Potter_,' he spat her name like it was a curse. 'Unless you're a bit politer, you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either.'

Several people around them gasped. Malfoy looked around startled, almost as if he'd forgotten where he was in his anger. A handful of older years looked incensed but no one said a word to defend her. They either assumed she'd be able to handle it herself or just wanted to see what she could do.

Halli felt a cold fury envelope her, she had gone very white. Standing slowly, she turned to face Malfoy who wisely backed up a step at the look on her face. She could feel her fingers crackling with the power she was almost desperate to use.

'I don't care who you _think_ you are, _Malfoy_,' she gave his name the same treatment he'd given hers, her voice pitched low and deadly. 'But if you utter a single word against my family again, I will _vanquish_ you.'

Malfoy managed to muster up a shaky looking sneer before he turn tailed and ran away with all the dignity the tail between his legs could afford him.

Halli resumed her seat and glared at Hermione for her disapproving tut.

Even more disappointing than her classmates were her classes themselves. As it turned out, they were bloody _awful_.

She'd expected that from Charms and Transfiguration. It seemed so silly to Halli that they taught complicated wand movements and foreign words to do something she could with a click of her fingers. Any of them could do it like that really.

And if the overly convoluted methods weren't enough, studying the theory behind them was infuriating, especially when she knew that not a single lick of it was actually true.

Her lessons had also caused Halli to realise that she'd been rather prejudice when she'd started school. She'd expected everyone with a magical background to be clueless and clinging to their magical principles that only she knew were false. She'd expected everyone from Muggle families to be enlightened and open to all magical possibilities, at least to an extent.

Hermione Granger was proving her wrong on a daily basis. The girl clung to her leather bound textbooks like they were gospels, their dry scripture the very word of God. Irrefutable and infallible.

Neville, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He would listen and trust in anything Halliwell told him, simply because he knew she wouldn't lie to him.

_Maybe it was because of how they saw themselves?_ Halli wondered.

Neville had very little self confidence and was willing to listen. Hermione was so sure she was smarter than everyone else and, therefore, the only things she'd take as fact had to be down on paper or from the mouths of teachers. No one her age could possibly be cleverer than her after all.

It was frustrating and eye-opening.

History of Magic turned out to be useless as well. Though Halli was sure it could be interesting if they had a teacher that came with more than one level of inflection.

Defence against the Dark Arts also turned out to be a bit of a joke. Professor Quirrell's stutter made it almost impossible to understand what was being taught, let alone actually find it interesting. Though Halli, recognising the nervous man who'd defended her on her first trip to the Leaky Cauldron, did her best to be as attentive as possible.

Astronomy, taking place at midnight on Wednesdays, turned out to be actually quite an interesting subject but Halli honestly didn't know what she'd ever use it for.

The subject Halli had been most looking forward to – Potions – turned out to be the biggest devastation of all.

She'd been so enthusiastic when she'd read her potions books. It was actually a new skill, a new layer of magic that she hadn't be able to learn on her own. She liked the idea of standing around a bubbling cauldron in her robes. Adding ingredients like eye of newt and tongue of frog, cackling every time the potion changed colour. She'd been planning to have so much fun.

She'd been determined to be top of her class.

But she knew before the real lesson had even started that _that_ was never going to happen. As if it wasn't already bad enough to be sharing the double period with the Slytherins, she had to put up with a bully parading as an educator, as well.

The Potions Master, Professor Snape, had started the class by taking the register. He paused when he reached Halli's name.

'Ah, yes,' he said softly, 'Halliwell Potter. Our new – _celebrity_.'

Malfoy and his friends, Crabbe and Goyle, sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His black eyes were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

'You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making,' he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. 'As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.'

Silence followed. Halli could feel her slight competitive nature yearning to begin, she wanted to be able to do this and she wanted to start learning straight away.

'Potter!' Snape barked so suddenly she almost fell off her seat. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'

Halli was caught off-guard but was determined to do well. She focused on the names of the ingredients and tried to remember if her books had mentioned them.

Yes! The introduction for her Potions book had mentioned them as the key ingredients to the most powerful sleeping draught in existence.

'The Draught of Living Death, sir.'

Snape's eyes narrowed in fury.

'And what would the rest of the ingredients be?'

Halli frowned. How on earth was she to know if the recipe wasn't actually in any of her assigned books? Shouldn't Professor Snape have known that?

'I'm afraid I don't know, sir.' She said respectfully but with a hint of suspicion. 'The recipe wasn't given in full, only the key ingredients mentioned in passing in the introduction to Magical Drafts and Potions.'

Snape scoffed.

'And I suppose you were too busy being important to pick up a book before that.'

Halli felt herself freeze in anger. He was deliberately picking on her!

'Well, I confess it was a little hard to pick up a magical book while being raised in the Muggle world.' Halli answered disdainfully. 'Sir.' She tacked on as though as an afterthought.

An ugly flush worked its way up the teacher's face as a few people laughed. Halli caught Seamus's eye and Seamus winked.

'A point will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek.' Snape said, he looked to be restraining himself from saying more.

Halli's outrage jumped up another notch. She flicked her hands and the room stilled.

'Oh, you horrid, pathetic _bully!_' She raged at the frozen professor and she walked up to him and kicked him as hard as she could in the shin.

Anger suitably vented, she darted back to her seat and unfroze the room before too much time could pass. She watched with extreme satisfaction as Snape flinched violently and hissed, his hands twitching as though they longed to reach down and sooth his injured leg.

Halli smirked and resolved to do that any time Snape was unfair to anyone, maybe he'd learn a lesson or two. She was too lost in thought to notice the eyes of the rest of the class darting between her and the professor, everyone wondering if she had somehow been the cause of Snape's flinch and how on earth she could have done it when her wand wasn't in her hand.

Thankfully, she had Friday afternoons off though she knew she wouldn't get the chance to really enjoy her first one. Earlier that morning, an invitation to afternoon tea had arrived from Hagrid. Unable to find a polite way to decline, Halli had been forced to agree, not wanting to offend the giant. Though she had roped Neville into going with her.

Another upside was that it would give Halli a chance to find out why her Potions teacher hated her with such a blind passion as Hagrid had already proven he was dreadful at keeping secrets. Somehow she knew that Hagrid wasn't supposed to let it slip that Dumbledore had some of her family's possessions. She wondered which ones he'd had out of the pile the goblins had summoned back for her.

At five to three, Halli and Neville left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Halli knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, '_Back,_ Fang – _back_.'

Hagrid's big hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

'Hang on,' he said. '_Back,_ Fang.'

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling and Halli was baffled that the dog hadn't found a way to reach them yet.

Or maybe he had and Hagrid hadn't noticed. Halli resolved to eat nothing the giant offered her, especially if it had meat in.

A copper kettle was boiling on the open fire and in a corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it. It was actually rather nice, Halli thought.

'Make yerselves at home,' said Hagrid, letting go of fang, who bounded straight at Neville and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

'This is my friend, Neville Longbottom,' Halli introduced.

'Neville Longbottom, eh?' Hagrid said, squinting at Neville as though trying to recognise his features. 'I remember yer dad, Frank, yer look more like yer mum though. Alice Clearwater. A good girl, that one. Clumsy as can be but her heart was in the right place. Her younger brother has a girl up at the school now, don' he?'

'Yes, sir,' Neville replied politely, a pleased and gentle smile on his face. 'Penelope Clearwater is my cousin.'

Halli beamed at the giant as he rose in her esteem. She didn't know exactly what had happened to Neville's parents but she knew it was something dreadful and the boy cherished anything that could connect him with them.

Hagrid poured the boiling water into a large teapot and put some rock cakes onto a plate. She saw Neville wince as he tried one, she almost thought she heard a tooth crack, but the boy made a valiant effort to seem like he enjoyed them as the two students told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Halli's knees and drooled all over her robes.

Halli and Neville were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch 'that old git'.

'An' as for that cat, Mrs Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang some time. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her – Filch puts her up to it.'

They told Hagrid all about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like everyone else, told Halli not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

'But he was deliberately asking questions I wouldn't know the answer to. The information isn't in our school books. He really seems to have it out for me.'

'Rubbish!' said Hagrid. 'Why should he?

Yet Halli couldn't help but notice that Hagrid didn't quite meet her eyes when he said that though he wasn't stuttering. It looked like his deception skills had improved slightly. Hagrid changed the subject quickly after that.

While Hagrid and Neville chatted about some of the plants available on Hogwarts grounds, Halli picked up a piece of parchment lying on the table under the tea cosy. It was a cutting from the _Daily Prophet:_

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on the 31__st__ of July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown._

_Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied that same day._

'_But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you,' said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._

Halli remembered Ron mentioning something about this on the train, after he'd finished winding up his brothers of course, but he hadn't mentioned the date.

'Hagrid,' said Halli slowly, trying to keep her speculation out of her voice. 'This Gringotts break-in happened the same day we were there, didn't you technically empty a vault?'

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely wouldn't meet her eyes that time. He grunted and offered her another rock cake. Halli read the short article again. Had Hagrid really taken what the thieves were looking for? Had he saved it just in time?

As Halli and Neville made their way back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Halli thought that none of the lessons she'd had so far had given her as much to think about as tea with Hagrid.

'Neville,' she started, 'Everyone in the Wizarding world must use Gringotts, right? I didn't see any other banks when I was shopping.'

Neville nodded.

'We're not really a large enough community to need more than one bank but Gringotts had branches all over the world. Why?'

'I was just thinking how many vaults would be emptied in a day, if there's no other banks to use then no one really has a need to take all their gold out at once.'

Neville nodded again, this time looking thoughtful.

'Sometimes, vaults hold heirlooms or magical items but most people would just store them in their main vault with everything else. Sometimes, objects might be put into a vault on their own if more than one person would need access to it, that way you don't risk the rest of your possessions.'

_If more than one person would need access to it._ Halli repeated to herself. Just like Hagrid had said he was there on behalf of Professor Dumbledore.

But what was in that grubby little package? Did it belong to Professor Dumbledore or was there another person involved as well? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Halli?

That night, as Halli lay in bed thinking about all the classes she'd started that week, she couldn't help but desperately miss her life before Hogwarts. Two hours a day she used to spend practicing her magic in various ways, she missed that so much it almost hurt. Discovering the extent of her power the way she had was such an adventure when compared to the way things were taught at Hogwarts.

Halliwell had known she was a witch her entire life. Aunt Petunia had never made any effort to keep it a secret from her. When she'd been little and too young to understand the concept of keeping secrets, she used to tell everyone she was a witch and she used to tell them so with pride. Aunt Petunia had explained it away with an ease that comes from dealing with children.

Lots of little girls spend their childhood telling anyone who will listen that they're a fairy or a princess. She told people she was a witch and they thought she was adorable.

She hadn't started learning to actually use her magic consciously until her aunt had thought her old enough to understand why her abilities would need to be a secret. Halli had started practicing magic when she was roughly seven years old.

It had been daunting at first.

Her aunt had sat her down and simply explained that, if she put her mind to it, she could do almost literally _anything_. Since then, Halli had been fascinated with the odd curiosity that was the human mind. She found it amazing that, when faced with an almost infinite number of possibilities, the human mind will go extraordinarily blank.

Halliwell was no exception to this. When being told she could to anything she could imagine, her imagination seemed to splutter and die.

Aunt Petunia hadn't been much better when the question had been turned back to her.

So they'd done the only thing they could really think of. They'd turned to the imaginations of other people.

Books, comics, television and movies. Any (age appropriate) entertainment they could find that featured magic or extraordinary talents.

Halliwell Potter could point her finger like Sabrina, wiggle her nose like Samantha, flick her fingers like a Charmed One and make magic happen. She even had a few X-Men abilities under her belt but she was still practising them, they were tricky.

She honestly didn't know how more Muggleborns couldn't do things like that. She could just see a little boy or girl, confused about the odd things that happened around them, watching a movie with a witch using magic and wondering if they could do it too.

Maybe it was because she had always known she had magic, she had never had reason to doubt she wouldn't be able to do anything.

Or maybe it was Roald Dahl's fault, he'd scared everyone off.

Halli just didn't understand why no one else could see what she did.

'~,'~,'~,'~,'~,'~,

'Neville,' Halli sighed during her first Saturday at Hogwarts, 'Go and join the boys, do some male bonding. We'll see each other during our Potions practice tomorrow.'

Neville jumped, wrenching his eyes back towards her and away from the corner of the common room where the boys from his dorm were having an exploding snap tournament. He flushed slightly at being caught.

'N-No, it's fine.'

Halli rolled her eyes.

'Neville,' she said again, this time slightly sharper. 'Go and have boys time.'

'B-But what about you?' He argued. 'I know you don't like the girls from your dorm and I don't want to leave you alone.'

She couldn't help but smile softly at him, he was sweet.

'Alone time isn't a bad thing, Nev. I could go explore the Castle or do some homework, I might even write a letter home. I might be alone but I won't be lonely so go on. Go do your guy thing.'

Neville didn't need to be told again, he shot her an appreciative grin and darted over to where the others were crowded round a table. Halli wasted no time in rushing out the portrait door.

Quickly finding an empty classroom, empty of both people and portraits, Halli took a deep breath, centred herself and took a step forward, moving seamlessly from the classroom at Hogwarts to her bedroom at home. She even had her special cloak in her bag to make the return journey easier later.

She was running down the stairs before she could stop herself.

'Aunt Petunia! Uncle Vernon!'

She heard the sound of a cup being set in its saucer before her aunt appeared at the kitchen door.

'Halliwell!' She cheered just as enthusiastically, the young girl threw herself into her aunt's arms.

It had been less than a week since she'd last seen them. Not even seven days yet and she'd started to feel a little like she was suffocating. She didn't have separation anxiety or anything like that but she had missed being at home, where she could be herself without fear because everyone already knew her secrets.

'How was school?' Her aunt asked, as she led her into the kitchen and put the kettle on. Her voice was full of an enthusiasm that could only come with finally discovering the unknown. 'What are your classes like?'

'They're a bit of a letdown actually,' Halli said, giving her uncle a hug and settling down at the kitchen table.

'In what way?' Aunt Petunia asked as she set a cup of tea down in front of her niece before taking a seat beside her. She threw a disapproving glance at her husband who was still reading the paper.

'Well, we knew a lot of the practical courses would be useless, I prove their theories wrong every day. But even the other courses have turned out to be disappointing. History is taught by a ghost, which sounds like it should be fascinating, but he doesn't know anything more recent than two hundred years ago and he's got the most boring voice you can imagine.'

Aunt Petunia raised a sceptical eyebrow.

'His voice is what ruins it?

'I'm not sure how to explain how bad it is.' Halli said, frustrated. 'It's not like a normal voice really, it has no inflection or expression. It just doesn't change, at all. If I could record him, we'd make a fortune selling the CDs as a sleep aid. His voice is the perfect example of a drone.'

'Hmm, I remember Lily used to get annoyed at her classmates for not paying attention in History. She used to rant to our parents, even in her letters, that she was the only one staying awake.'

'It's the same now, it's like you can barely understand him from the sound of his own voice.'

'Well, what about your other classes? I know there were a few you were looking forward to.'

The next few hours were spent peacefully for Halli, just sitting and chatting with her aunt like it was any other day. It was like a balm for her soul after the home sickness she'd been suffering

Though, Halli was careful to avoid all mention of Malfoy and Snape. She knew her aunt and uncle wouldn't be pleased with their continued and ignored treatment of her. It annoyed Halli to no end that her family's concerns would be brushed away simply for the fact they were normal.

It was almost evening before Aunt Petunia asked a question Halli couldn't avoid.

'How is Potions class going? You never said and I know you were looking forward to it.'

They were sitting in the living room now evening was creeping in. Halli would be going back to the Castle for dinner, simply to avoid suspicion but she was delaying her return as long as possible.

She sighed when she realised there was no way to dodge the question without an all out lie, something Halli refused to do to her family.

'It's really awful, actually,' the young girl said with a sigh. She bit her lip and stared down at her hands twisting on her lap. 'The teacher's picking on me.'

'What?' Both her guardians asked sharply. Even Uncle Vernon turned his attention away from the TV to focus on her.

Halli had always had an unusual relationship with her uncle. He was a rather old fashioned man who'd had a rather strict upbringing. He'd always accepted Halli as member of the family, Aunt Petunia hadn't given him much of a choice, and in the end he had truly come to love her like a daughter. He was proud of her accomplishments just as his was with Dudley. Halli even suspected she got her work ethic from her uncle.

He just thought using magic to do everything was cheating.

Halli didn't completely disagree with him but magic certainly had its advantages.

It had taken Dudley breaking his leg for Uncle Vernon to see this for himself. Watching his niece heal his only son with nothing more than a talent she'd been born with had forced him to re-evaluate his opinions.

He'd never accept using magic to do _everything_ and neither would Halli but he accepted that the magic itself was a gift, even if the world that wielded it was full of weirdoes.

No one in the house disagreed with him.

But one downside to the fact her uncle was an old fashioned man, is that he was very protective of females. Halli appreciated the sentiment even if it sometimes irked her. Vernon Dursley was a man that expected men to stand up for themselves. And even though he knew that women could do it too, he was always firm in the opinion that a woman should have back up because not all men were scrupulous enough to keep their temper when dealing with a woman.

As much as it sometimes stung both Halli's and her Aunt Petunia's pride, they knew it was a sensible opinion in their day and age. If Draco Malfoy had no problem hexing a girl, would he one day go as far as hitting one?

That was one of the reasons she'd been avoiding mentioning those two Slytherins to her family. Halliwell knew neither of them would take it well and it would hurt her guardians to know they could do nothing, simply because they were Muggles.

Halli took a deep breath before she began to tell the tale of her first Potions lesson.

'Professor Snape seemed really annoyed that I knew the answer to the question he asked so the next question was something I couldn't possibly know. That potion was really only mentioned in passing, it's supposed to be really dangerous if used incorrectly. One of the older students said they don't actually study the potion in full until sixth year.'

'What did you say his name was?' Aunt Petunia asked but she was overshadowed by the explosion that was Vernon Dursley.

'That arrogant bastard!' He shouted, startling Halli with his vulgarity. 'How dare he treat you that way? I hope you got your own back Halliwell or me and Dudley will come to that school and show him what for.'

'Vernon, be quiet.' Petunia snapped with a venom that wasn't really directed at her husband. 'Now, Halli, You said this man's name was Snape, is that Severus Snape?'

Halli looked at her aunt in shock.

'You know my professor?'

Aunt Petunia nodded distractedly.

'I think I do, if it's the man I'm thinking of. Hooked nose and sallow skin? Very greasy hair?'

'Yes, that's him.' Halli nodded emphatically.

'Well, I think I know a perfect way to nip this in the bud then.'

'But Petunia,' Uncle Vernon started, 'The man should be fired, he should be punished not just stopped. That's letting him off too easy.'

'Oh, Vernon,' Petunia said with sorrow. 'Their world isn't like ours, they don't have equality acts or anything to protect people. As far as that world is concerned, blood and magic are the only things that matter. They wouldn't listen to us, no matter what we did. The best we can do is prepare Halli so she can deal with it herself.'

Halliwell's heart broke for her family. It was awful, they were being discriminated against. It was even worse than the way Muggleborns were treated, at least Muggleborns had Albus Dumbledore backing there corner. Who did the normal people have? If Ron was to be believed, the only people trying to protect normal people were Arthur Weasley and an old Warlock called Perkins.

It just wasn't right that magical people placed so much value in being able to levitate a feather with a stick. Normal people had walked on the goddamn _moon_. There wasn't a single magical accomplishment that could measure up to that.

'Now, Halli,' Aunt Petunia said, bringing everyone's attention to the topic at hand. 'If you really need to put Severus _bloody_ Snape in his place, here's what you need to know...'

Halli had an almost demented grin on her face as she arrived back at the Gryffindor common room.

'Neville!' She called to her friend, rushing over to join him on one of the many sofas. 'I've found the perfect potion for us to practise tomorrow. It's called the Hair Colour Potion.'


End file.
